Employment

Please check back for information about opportunities in various departments at the Garden. Resumés and applications are only accepted for open positions. Applicants who do not meet the required qualifications will not be considered. Please see how to apply for further information.

Auxiliaries CoordinatorRequisition Number: 515Overview: To provide support and to serve as an integral member of the Events & Board Operations team, as well as the overall Development department. To serve the operations needs of the Chicago Botanic Garden as specifically related to its Auxiliary Groups—the Board of Directors, Woman's Board, and the Guild. The Auxiliaries Coordinator works closely with the Senior Director, Events & Board... Read more

Circulation Desk AssistantRequisition Number: 513Overview: Work at the Lenhardt Library's circulation desk and provide exceptional customer service to all library users.

Security OfficerRequisition Number: 371Overview: To serve visitors, members, and staff by maintaining the safety and security of the property and collections of the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Security Officer, 3rd ShiftRequisition Number: 453Overview: To serve visitors, members, and staff by maintaining the safety and security of the property and collections of the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Substitute Teacher, Nature PreschoolRequisition Number: 505Overview: To teach in a high-quality, mission-based early childhood educational program, as needed when staff is not available. To be able to implement developmentally appropriate lessons to children ages 3 to 5 in a nature-based preschool setting.

Seasonal

Allotment Garden CoordinatorRequisition Number: 506Overview: Windy City Harvest is looking for a dedicated coordinator to oversee and maintain the Legends South, West Haven, and City Gardens allotment gardens. The coordinator will assist residents with maintaining and cultivating the allotment garden spaces and educate the community about growing a variety of seasonal produce, nutritional health, and food security issues. In addition, the coordinator will... Read more

Aquatic Plant Maintenance A-HRequisition Number: 487Overview: Over the past 17 years, a half-million native and aquatic shoreline plants have been added along 4.5 miles of the Garden's lakeshore. The Aquatic Plant Maintenance seasonal staff maintain these new shoreline plantings, including removal of weedy/invasive plant and algae species, replanting due to plant mortality or herbivory, and other maintenance activities to support robust plant... Read more

Custodian, Seasonal Weekends A-CRequisition Number: 458Overview: Clean and perform custodial maintenance for all building facilities and perform specific support duties for other departments.

Ecological Restoration Technician A-BRequisition Number: 490Overview: Assist in the management of two of the Garden's natural areas: a 15-acre created prairie (exhibits six different types of prairie communities found in northeastern Illinois) and a mile-long urban river reach with an adjoining 22 acres of developing wetlands, prairie, and savanna. This position involves physically demanding work for extended periods of time. Typical work responsibilities... Read more

English Walled Garden Intern Requisition Number: 481Overview: Learn how to properly maintain a public display garden by working with a senior horticulturist and his or her team of staff and volunteers. Other assigned gardens may include the Circle Garden, Sensory Garden, Waterfall Garden, Dwarf Conifer Garden, and the Lakeside Garden. Attend regular staff meetings, field trips, and weekly intern meetings with guest speakers to learn about general botanic... Read more

Family Drop-in Programs Instructor Requisition Number: 511Overview: To facilitate and develop a range of free, hands-on, nature-themed education activities and programs for children and families in the Nature Play Garden. Weekend hours required.

Groundskeeper, SeasonalRequisition Number: 299Overview: The seasonal groundskeeper performs general landscaping and grounds maintenance, consisting primarily of manual labor under the direction of full-time horticulture staff, working independently or with a crew. Assist with special projects such as event preparation and support. There may be occasional evening, weekend, and holiday hours. Work and area assignments may change during the season as... Read more

Interpretive Programs InternRequisition Number: 478Overview: Gain hands-on experience in museum education programs and volunteer management while assisting with and supporting seasonal programs in the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden, Malott Japanese Garden, English Walled Garden, and Butterflies & Blooms exhibition. Learn operational aspects of a botanic garden/museum setting by working on a variety of projects and attending internal and... Read more

Japanese Garden InternRequisition Number: 482Overview: Learn how to properly maintain a public display garden by working with a senior horticulturist and his or her team of staff and volunteers. Other assigned gardens may including Evening Island, Green Roof Gardens, and the Evaluation Gardens. Attend regular staff meetings, field trips, and weekly intern meetings with guest speakers to learn about general botanic garden operations.

Kris S. Jarantoski InternRequisition Number: 484Overview: Gain broad-based experience with a focus on horticulture in public garden operations to develop skills required to become a future botanic garden leader. Specific duties will change throughout the internship as the intern rotates through different Garden departments. Assigned areas may include nursery and greenhouse plant production, plant health care, horticulture maintenance and operations,... Read more

Membership Sales & Visitor Experience AssociateRequisition Number: 365Overview: To support all aspects of Membership Sales & Visitor Experience on-site, including sales of memberships, membership upgrades, donations, visitor event and program tickets, registrations for various School of the Botanic Garden programs, and Garden information.

PCC Austin Farm GrowerRequisition Number: 507Overview: Windy City Harvest is looking for a dedicated grower to oversee and maintain the PCC Austin Farm with high production and display garden aesthetics. The grower will assist residents with maintaining and cultivating the allotment garden and educate the community about growing a variety of seasonal produce.
The grower should have high energy for and interest in sustainable urban agriculture,... Read more

Plant Evaluation InternshipRequisition Number: 489Overview: The plant evaluation internship provides an opportunity to observe a diversity of plants in full-sun and green roof gardens. Their performance is documented through data collection and digital photography. The Chicago Botanic Garden has one of the largest and most diverse plant evaluation programs in the United States.

Production Greenhouse & Nursery InternRequisition Number: 480Overview: Learn about plant production by rotating through and working with the growers in the four divisions of the Plant Production department. These divisions are the nursery, indoor floriculture, outdoor floriculture, and plant propagation. Attend regular staff meetings, field trips, and weekly intern meetings with guest speakers during summer to learn about general botanic garden operations.

Propagation InternRequisition Number: 479Overview: Learn about and gain experience in propagating plants by assisting with the propagation of annuals, perennials, native plants, tropical plants, and floriculture crops grown in the production greenhouses and nursery. Attend regular staff meetings, field trips, and weekly intern meetings with guest speakers throughout the summer to learn about general botanic garden operations.

Research Intern Plants of Concern/Cook County Forest PreserveRequisition Number: 514Overview: This 35-week, 35 hour/week position involves monitoring rare plants in the Cook County Forest Preserves through the Plants of Concern (POC) program, a widely recognized citizen science program. The position is based at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Duties include collecting field monitoring data, helping recruit and train volunteer monitors, entering/analyzing/monitoring data including GIS... Read more

Rose & Heritage Garden InternRequisition Number: 483Overview: Learn how to properly maintain a public display garden by working with a senior horticulturist and his or her team of staff and volunteers. Other assigned gardens may include the Esplanade, Aquatic Garden, Farwell Landscape Garden, Crescent Garden, Fruit & Vegetable Garden, Bulb Garden, Model Railroad Garden, and Spider Island. Attend regular staff meetings, field trips, and weekly intern... Read more

Urban Garden Lab Program AssistantRequisition Number: 492Overview: Spend the season working alongside inspiring teen urban farmers on a rooftop garden above the hustle of downtown Chicago. The Urban Garden Lab Assistant will work as part of a dedicated, energetic team to cultivate delicious, sustainably grown vegetables and vibrant young people. Youth participants are high school students who learn about principles of sustainable agriculture, teamwork,... Read more

Veteran Internship Program, Accounting Intern Requisition Number: 495Overview: Work under supervision in the accounting department while participating in the Veteran Internship Program to create a plan for transitioning to the civilian workforce.

Veteran Internship Program, Camp CBG InternRequisition Number: 496Overview: Work under supervision in the education department while participating in the Veteran Internship Program to create a plan for transitioning to the civilian workforce.

Youth Farm Intern A-DRequisition Number: 493Overview: Work with Chicago's most innovative horticulture training program for teens, the Windy City Harvest Youth Farm. Windy City Harvest Youth Farm interns work as part of a dedicated, energetic team at one of our sustainable farms, working alongside teenagers to produce vibrant young people and delicious, organically grown food for underserved communities. Windy City Harvest Youth Farm... Read more

Internship

English Walled Garden Intern Requisition Number: 481Overview: Learn how to properly maintain a public display garden by working with a senior horticulturist and his or her team of staff and volunteers. Other assigned gardens may include the Circle Garden, Sensory Garden, Waterfall Garden, Dwarf Conifer Garden, and the Lakeside Garden. Attend regular staff meetings, field trips, and weekly intern meetings with guest speakers to learn about general botanic... Read more

Interpretive Programs InternRequisition Number: 478Overview: Gain hands-on experience in museum education programs and volunteer management while assisting with and supporting seasonal programs in the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden, Malott Japanese Garden, English Walled Garden, and Butterflies & Blooms exhibition. Learn operational aspects of a botanic garden/museum setting by working on a variety of projects and attending internal and... Read more

Japanese Garden InternRequisition Number: 482Overview: Learn how to properly maintain a public display garden by working with a senior horticulturist and his or her team of staff and volunteers. Other assigned gardens may including Evening Island, Green Roof Gardens, and the Evaluation Gardens. Attend regular staff meetings, field trips, and weekly intern meetings with guest speakers to learn about general botanic garden operations.

Kris S. Jarantoski InternRequisition Number: 484Overview: Gain broad-based experience with a focus on horticulture in public garden operations to develop skills required to become a future botanic garden leader. Specific duties will change throughout the internship as the intern rotates through different Garden departments. Assigned areas may include nursery and greenhouse plant production, plant health care, horticulture maintenance and operations,... Read more

Production Greenhouse & Nursery InternRequisition Number: 480Overview: Learn about plant production by rotating through and working with the growers in the four divisions of the Plant Production department. These divisions are the nursery, indoor floriculture, outdoor floriculture, and plant propagation. Attend regular staff meetings, field trips, and weekly intern meetings with guest speakers during summer to learn about general botanic garden operations.

Propagation InternRequisition Number: 479Overview: Learn about and gain experience in propagating plants by assisting with the propagation of annuals, perennials, native plants, tropical plants, and floriculture crops grown in the production greenhouses and nursery. Attend regular staff meetings, field trips, and weekly intern meetings with guest speakers throughout the summer to learn about general botanic garden operations.

Rose & Heritage Garden InternRequisition Number: 483Overview: Learn how to properly maintain a public display garden by working with a senior horticulturist and his or her team of staff and volunteers. Other assigned gardens may include the Esplanade, Aquatic Garden, Farwell Landscape Garden, Crescent Garden, Fruit & Vegetable Garden, Bulb Garden, Model Railroad Garden, and Spider Island. Attend regular staff meetings, field trips, and weekly intern... Read more

The Chicago Botanic Garden welcomes veterans to our workforce. At the Garden, where we are a leading provider of horticultural therapy services for veterans, we value the dedication of our nation's service members.

We believe that veterans add a unique perspective and bring valuable experience to the workforce. As part of our commitment to veterans, the Garden has joined the state of Illinois and other leading Illinois employers in the Illinois Hires Heroes Consortium (IHHC). Consortium members agree to implement programs to recruit, train, and retain veterans; we will list jobs on sites including Hero2Hired (H2H), a site aimed at helping veterans find jobs. We have completed training to help us understand military skills and how that experience can be applied to our work at the Garden.

We encourage veterans to apply for internships, as well as full- and part-time employment.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.